Gandhelu is commonly found in the outer Himalayas, from the
Ravi eastwards, ascending to 5,000 feet, in Assam. It is also found in
evergreen and deciduous forests of peninsular India, often as underwood.

The shrub is of common occurrence in Himachal Pradesh in
areas lying between 800 and 1,450 metres above the sea level. Almost
every part of this plant has a strong characteristic odour. The people
of the plains, particularly of southern India, use the leaves of this
plant as a spice in different curry preparations.

Morphology

A small spreading shrub, about 2.5 metres high; the main stem, dark
green to brownish, with numerous dots on it; its bark can be peeled off
longitudinally, exposing the white wood underneath; the girth of the
main stem is 16 cm.

Flowering starts from the middle of April and ends in the middle of
May. The peak flowering season under the Sanwara (H.P.) conditions was
observed to be the last week of April. The fruiting season was observed
to continue from the middle of July to the end of August. The peak
fruiting season, however, was found to continue from the last week of
July to the 1st week of August.

Ripe
fruits of gandhelu

Yield

The average yield of a medium-sized bush was found to be 480 g in
three to four pickings.

Chemical composition of the fruit

The pulp of the fruit contains 64.9 per cent moisture. The content of
total soluble solids of the fruit juice is 16.8 per cent. The pulp
contains 9.76 per cent total sugars, 9.58 per cent reducing sugars, 0.17
percent non-reducing sugars and almost a negligible amount of tannins
and acidity. The vitamin C content of the fruit, which is 13.35 mg per
100 g of the pulp, is better than that of many fruits studied during the
course of the present investigation.

The mineral content of the edible portion of the fruit,
as represented by its ash, is 2.162 per cent. Similarly, 100 g of the
edible portion of the fruit contains, protein, 1.97 g; phosphorus, 0.082
g, potassium, 0.811 g, calcium, 0.166 g; magnesium, 0.216 g; and iron,
0.007 g.

Medicinal properties

The leaves, the bark and the roots of Murraya koenigii (L.)
Spreng. can be used as a tonic and a stomachic. The bark and the roots
are used as a stimulant by the physicians. They are also used externally
to cure eruptions and the bites of poisonous animals. The green leaves
are stated to be eaten raw for curing dysentery, and the infusion of the
washed leaves stops vomiting.

A strong odiferous oil occurs in the leaves and the seeds of Gandhelu
plants. The chemical examination of this oil indicated that this
essential oil exhibited a strong antibacterial and antifungal activity.

An alkaloid, murrayacinine, is also found in this plant.

Dessert quality

The major part of the fruit is occupied by the seed and the edible
portion is only 49.4 per cent of the whole fruit. The fruits are very
sweet and are eaten fresh. They have a characteristic odour which makes
them slightly unpleasant. The overall fruit quality is fair.

Utilization

The shiny-black fruits are liked both by children and adults. As
revealed by the chemical composition of the fruits, they are very
nutritious. These fruits have also many medicinal properties.

Leaves are used as a spice in different curries and
impart a characteristic flavour to the preparations.

The branches of this plant are very popular for cleaning
the teeth as datun and are said to strengthen the gums and the
teeth.

This plant is quite ornamental due to its compound
leaves. It can, therefore, be used as a hedge and as an ornamental
shrub.